Mandevilla plant named ‘Inmanbegrv’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Mandevilla  plant named ‘Inmanbegrv’, characterized by its broadly upright and vining plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; glossy dark green-colored leaves; early and freely flowering habit; large deep velvety red-colored flowers with orange red-colored centers that resist fading; and relative tolerance to low temperatures.

Botanical designation: Mandevilla sanderi.

Cultivar denomination: ‘INMANBEGRV’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla plant, botanically known as Mandevilla sanderi and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Inmanbegrv’.

The new Mandevilla plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Johannesburg, South Africa and Gensingen, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely branching Mandevilla plants that flower early and freely and have attractive flowers that resist fading and sun scald.

The new Mandevilla plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in Johannesburg, South Africa in January, 2014 of a proprietary selection of Mandevilla sanderi identified as code number D11-2140-9, not patented, as the female, or seed parent with a proprietary selection of Mandevilla sanderi identified as code number D11-2162-9, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Mandevilla plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Gensingen, Germany in June, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the new Mandevilla plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Gensingen, Germany since August, 2015 has shown that the unique features of this new Mandevilla plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Inmanbegrv’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Inmanbegrv’ as a new and distinct Mandevilla plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright and vining plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Glossy dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   6. Large deep velvety red-colored flowers with orange         red-colored centers that resist fading.     -   7. Relatively tolerant to low temperatures.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla are more upright and have         stronger branches than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla are not as freely branching as         plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla have larger leaves than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Mandevilla have flatter and more velvety         flowers than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla are more upright and have         stronger branches than plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla are not as freely branching as         plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Mandevilla are larger and         flatter than flowers of plants of the male parent selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Mandevilla have deep velvety red- colored         flowers whereas plants of the male parent selection have         pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can also be compared to plants of Mandevilla hybrida ‘Inmanredeep’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,096. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants ‘Inmanredeep’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla are larger and have longer and         stronger branches than plants of ‘Inmanredeep’.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla are not as freely branching as         plants of ‘Inmanredeep’.     -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla have larger flowers than plants         of ‘Inmanredeep’.     -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Mandevilla are darker red in         color than flowers of plants of ‘Inmanredeep’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Mandevilla plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Mandevilla plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 of 2) comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Inmanbegrv’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2 of 2) is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Inmanbegrv’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the late spring and early summer in 11-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Heidesheim, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Mandevilla production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 35° C. and night temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 18° C. Plants were seven months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Mandevilla sanderi ‘Inmanbegrv’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Mandevilla             sanderi identified as code number D11-2140-9.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Mandevilla             sanderi identified as code number D11-2162-9. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About three weeks at             temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 35° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at             temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 20 to 25             days at temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 35° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 25 to 30             days at temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fleshy; typically white in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Low branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Broadly upright and vining plant             habit; roughly broadly obovate in overall shape; moderately             vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 36.2             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 37.5             cm.         -   Plant diameter (spread).—About 33.9 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely             branching habit, typically about three primary lateral             branches each with about two secondary lateral branches.             Length: About 21.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Internode             length: About 3.4 cm. Aspect: Primary lateral branches,             erect to about 10° from vertical; secondary lateral             branches, about 25° from primary branch axis. Strength:             Strong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy;             becoming woody with development. Color, developing: Close to             144A. Color, developed: Close to between 143B and 144A; when             woody, close to N199A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 7.3 cm.         -   Width.—About 4.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Broadly elliptic to broadly obovate.         -   Apex.—Short apiculate.         -   Base.—Truncate to obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire; not undulate.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous;             moderately coriaceous; moderately glossy.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous;             moderately coriaceous; slightly glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A;             towards the base, close to 152D. Developing leaves, lower             surface: Close to 152A to 152B. Full expanded leaves, upper             surface: Darker than between 139A and 147A; venation, close             to 143B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to             between 146B and 147B; venation, close to 145B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm by             2.5 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy.             Color, upper surface: Close to 144A. Color, lower surface:             Close to 144C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers             arranged in axillary cymes; flowers face outwardly to             somewhat upright; freely flowering habit with about six             flowers per inflorescence and about 50 flower buds and open             flowers developing per plant during the flowering season.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from             spring into the autumn in Germany; plants begin flowering             about 16 weeks after propagation (dependent on light level).         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Individual flowers last about             ten days; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 12.3 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 14.3 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 6.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm.             Shape: Narrowly oblanceolate. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; slightly glossy. Color: Distally, close to between             46A and 185A; towards the base, close to 46A; at the base,             close to 145B and 145A.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused and             five-parted. Diameter: Large, about 9.5 cm. Depth (length):             About 6.8 cm. Throat diameter: About 1.6 cm. Tube length:             About 5.2 cm. Tube diameter: Proximally, about 4 mm;             distally, about 1.9 cm.         -   Corolla.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals arranged in a             single whorl; lower 52% portion of the petals are fused into             a funnelform tube. Petal length: About 9.8 cm. Petal width:             About 3.8 cm. Petal shape and appearance: Roughly unequal             spatulate. Petal apex: Apiculate. Petal margin: Entire;             slightly undulate. Petal texture and luster, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous; velvety; matte. Petal texture and luster,             lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety; slightly             glossy. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Tube             texture: Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety. Color: Petal,             when opening, upper surface: More intense than 53A. Petal,             when opening, lower surface: Close to 53A. Petal, fully             opened, upper surface: Slightly more intense than 53A;             venation, similar to lamina; color does not change with             development. Petal, fully opened, lower surface: Close to             46A; venation, similar to lamina; color does not change with             development. Throat: Close to 31A to 31B; at the base, close             to 151B to 151C; venation, similar to lamina. Tube: Close to             N45A; proximally, close to 150D and at the base, close to             150A; venation, similar to lamina.         -   Calyx.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals arranged in a             single whorl. Calyx length: About 8 mm. Calyx diameter:             About 5 mm. Sepal length: About 7 mm. Sepal width: About             1.75 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Narrowly             acuminate. Sepal base: Broadly cuneate. Sepal margin:             Entire. Sepal texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy. Sepal color: When             developing, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145A; fading             towards the base to close to 143B; at the apex, close to             179B. Fully developed, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             144C; at the apex, close to 179B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 9 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 30° from lateral branch             axis. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color:             Close to 144A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 15° to 40° from peduncle             axis. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; moderately             glossy. Color: Close to 143C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity and arrangement:             Typically five; basifixed; anthers connivent. Filament             length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to 153D. Anther             shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther size: About 9 mm by 1.5 mm.             Anther color: Close to 161D. Pollen amount: None observed.             Pistils: Quantity: Typically one. Pistil length: About             2.2 cm. Style length: About 1.9 cm. Style color: Close to             145D. Stigma diameter: About 2 mm. Stigma shape:             Club-shaped, pointed. Stigma color: Close to 153D. Ovary             color: Close to 143C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production have             not been observed on plants of the new Mandevilla. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Mandevilla     have not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Mandevilla plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about     40° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 13. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Mandevilla plant named ‘Inmanbegrv’ as illustrated and described. 